#is it satire or is it the Witcher?

[madame-helen]

[junebuge]

🍂Succubus. The Witcher 🍂

[hanzajesthanza]

i think the witcher books (and the stories to saga transition) are good and fine to be adapted into audiovisual media (e.g., tv/movie), but only if the audience (meaning, an audience previously unfamiliar with the IP) is actually there for what it’s about. and can be encouraged to keep an open mind for what it will be.

because it seems many people get into it from the premise of “mutated monster killer kills monsters” (even though, if you read the short stories closely, they’re not about that at all, that’s only the literal aspect of them, and some aren’t even about monsters at all??). and then become disappointed that geralt isn’t just slaying beasts left and right for five novels (or seasons?) straight

if you want to have an audience that’s there for what the series is, then… just… tell them what they’re sitting down for!

to potential readers and viewers of such an adaptation, it just needs to be better communicated right off the bat what the story is about. and no one can do that except the already existing fans who have read and like the story and know what parts they love the most.

stop selling it on the basis of ‘ooo dark fantasy where people swear sometimes’ and actually look at what it is about (also, beyond that it is fantasy) and you’ll have your answer.

[ghostlylicious]

what i said to marina was so stupid i cringed at myself. no i'm not a multishipper (only in some circumstances) and yes i'm afraid of vernonciri now bc of you. i would like to apologize to her (bc she def won't apologize to me 😍) and that what i said sounded stupid bc i have a mental illness where i can't process how to deal with degenerates on the internet. i would like your forgiveness marina. but just let urself have vernonciri and let me have iornon and ciri/avallac'h or ciri/no one she's an independent girlboss

(i hope she doesn't see this but if she does i'll just block her so 😭)

(and if she does see this. yes. yes i know avallac'h is much older than ciri. what i said abt ciri n roche was stupid i know. but like i said i have an illness where i legit don't know how to deal with bullies 😍😭)

[themichelvictor-blog]

Spoilers for Invincible comic and season 2

Man, they sure cut the scene in which Mark shows self awarness and human reaction, and replaced it with melodrama shit with PTSD. Which doesn't make much sense in the show as his ass got handed even before Omni-man fight by Battler Beast. Show really undermines Mark's actual character of teenager with an ego due to his powerhouse status and instead replace it with sad puppy who exists to soak up pain for entertainment of people and be nothing more than megaphone to themes. I was never a fan of Invincible, but I think it is tragic that book which mocked all superhero comic bs and melodrama is now a prime example of all tropes of TV superhero shows filled into one less than mid animated package.

It's not the only scene, in the show Mark "goes serious" and threatens with his Omni-man heritage with music and close up, "subtlety" reinforcing his "dark side". When in the comic Mark casually mocks him and uses snark to out logic dude to free him. Which is pretty much who Mark is. Overpowered teenager with attitude and who use basic human logic. That's the appeal and show's Mark's exists either in ":( stop punching me I'm pathetic" or "I'm all angsty now, because we are serious show :|" when the comic shows his gradual growth into taking stuff serious (and fucking it up) way better and natural. For me, Invincible show represents people confusing sincerety with sad music and self importance. When in reality, cynicism and joking attitude can be the most sincere, in fact, it's kind of the idea with "the absence of pretence, deceit, or hypocrisy." being pretty much Invincible's appeal as satire of superhero stuff, while having some respect for it. Invincible show isn't sincere in slightest, otherwise Amber character wouldn't make 180 because of backlash and creator wouldn't say her controversial moment is "probably a mistake". Whole show just screams attempt of being Netflix melodrama during Daredevil success and using anti-Marvel status (no matter how idiotic it is) as selling point for folk who don't know better. We had same shit with Sherlock and with CDPR having a cult of simps post Witcher 3. Will it matter? Will show actually leave impact or just be dropped like other overhyped projects? I don't know, but I said my piece.

[limerental]

I'm reading the Witcher books for the first time and I just wanted to ask: did you have any difficulty enjoying your time reading them? It says in your bio that you're a Witcher books enjoyer, but have they ever been difficult to swallow at any point for you? I don't know, sometimes I feel like I'm getting through by the skin of my teeth. Like that weird shtick with Dandelion during the dragon hunt, or the way Triss was acting during her time in Kaer Morhen and in regards to Geralt in general. I'm still in Blood of Elves, but I fear more moments I'm going to dislike are coming as I go on. I really want to catch up on the events that've only been hinted at in the games, but God it's been hard, and I just want to know if other people have experienced this or if it's just me. Do you have any advice? Sorry for the long ask, thanks for your time!

Oh I don't think you're alone tbh, my initial impression of the books from others when I was freshly in the fandom was that they weren't worth reading because of those moments. The books fully are written by an old white European dude in the 90s, and I don't think the translation does it any favors at times.

But no, I personally didn't have trouble continuing the books for those reasons, because the characters and the story overall and the method of story-telling fully gripped me. You just have to discount some stuff as written by a man disease to embrace the rest frankly. Of course, there is stuff I hate and reject. And it's all down to your tolerance.

Some people find Ciri's story later on to be bleak torture porn, but I don't think that that's a fair assessment. I love Ciri's story very dearly as a story of defiance and trauma and survival. You may disagree, who knows!

A lot of my love for the books comes from the potential of rolling around in a really diverse, open-ended canon that's basically 20 different stories in a trenchcoat but the dark comedy satirical tone of the books also gives me permission to take any of it as seriously or as flippantly as I want. There's a lot of vague politics and a lot of "anachronisms" and a lot of silly fantasy tropes and a lot of characters that exist purely to tell someone else's story and a lot of commentary on the fantasy genre as a whole.

And yeah, there's nipples. There's a lot of nipples. Sorry.

[fallhound]

hi @charlottan, book tag game :3

Favorite books: It is so so hard for me to pick favourites. uhhhhhh... Night Watch by Pratchett, and honestly I could put a lot of Pratchett's books on here. but I won't. Wiedźmin Sapkowskiego, a lot of polish romanticism, satire, and war nonfiction; Sienkiewicz, Mickiewicz, Krasicki, Białoszewski, Borowski. A lot of Brandon Sanderson books; mistborn came to mind first

Favorite authors: a lot were mentioned above. Pratchett is probably the highest up there.

Favorite genres: fantasy, post-apocalyptic (or what I like to call: post post-apocalyptic) and historic nonfiction. Yuri.

Book(s) you’re currently reading: Sideways in time by Murray Leinster, After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz, Macbeth by Shakespeare (plays count, shut up)

Books on your to read list: waaah too many to mention. I still have like 8 ones I've picked up from various used bookstores, my library holds currently are for The Terror by Dan Simmons, Hamlet (particularly choice audiobook), & The city and the city by China Miéville.

Books you loved as a child: Felix, Net i Nika Rafała Kosika, Animorphs by Katherine Applegate, Eragon by Christopher Paolini, Strrraszna Historia (various authors)

Preferred book length: with how I get INTO a book and refuse to put it down until it's over; I wanna say like. 100-150k words??? I dunno tho, I also like small books I can devour in one day, and I also like Project Books.

Books you couldn’t finish: I generally don't bother to remember things that I didn't enjoy or at least disliked in an interesting way. The most recent book I didn't finish was a 2 dollar used bookstore pickup Falling off the map: some lonely places of the world by Pico Iyer. the premise was amazing but then it just ended up being a bunch of British privileged takes on people the author clearly deemed as lesser. HOW IS ICELAND OR CUBA "FORGOTTEN"???? I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE TINY TOWNS, ACTUALLY INTERESTING THINGS, NOT WHOLE FUCKING CULTURES YOU FUC-

Fiction or nonfiction: as a Writer I lean fiction 95%, and as such read a lot of it and learn from a lot of it, but also as someone who was always interested in history of People's, not armies, I've read a lot of nonfiction; journals and such. Both are great, recently I've been on a larger nonfiction kick tho

Buy, borrow from library, or read online: I'm sadly also a buycel, I love physical books. However, I'm also huge on audiobooks, and used to use my kindle a lot. In reality my sortof. division would be: buy from used bookstores, borrow audiobooks from your local libraries, steal ebooks and put them onto a cracked eReader as last resort.

Author you’ve read the most of, but DON’T recommend: I dunno! I mean, hm. I don't know how the Witcher translations are, translating from a nice and juicy language into English is lossy as hell so those version gotta be mid and I would not recommend anyone learn Polish unless you have a damn good reason.

Favorite book character: Can I put a cop on here? cause first character I thought of was Vimes from Pratchett's city watch. He's complicated and a bastard. honestly, a lot of Pratchett's characters. Angua, Carrot, Vetinari even.

If you at some point stopped reading but then started again, what book/books got you into reading again: Gideon the ninth :) I used to read 2-4 books a week as a child, then depression hit, then immigration, money and space and house insecurity, and I stopped until pretty recently :) now I'm back babey

Tagging ANYONE in this, if you do do this, please tag me :)

[sirobvious]

Every Baulder's Gate 3 character looks like if you took witcher 3 and jokingly, satirically made "if they slayed" edits of it

[astaldis]

Whumptober Masterpost

@whumptober-archive

Hi, here are all the works I made for this Whumptober, all in all I wrote 50,198 words and drew one piece of fanart.

All my fics can also be found in My Whumptober Collection.

Thank you so much to all the mods and helpers for making this fun event happen and the fantastic prompts! 😘 Looking already forward to next October 😊

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MAKE IT STOP!: Prompts 2, 3, 9, 19, 24, alt.1 ("They don't care about you", "Make it stop", "You're a liar", Psychological, Goodbye Note, Betrayal)

Chapters: 1/1 Words: 600 words

Summary: OC Whumpee has a very bad day because of - What? Read to find out 😉 (humour/satire).

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A Cure to Insomnia: Prompts: 12, 26, 29 (Insomnia; "Sometimes I get so tired, I don't even know myself."; "You look awful."; Troubled Past Resurfacing)

The Witcher, Whumpee: Cahir, Caretaker: Milva, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 2,705, Rating: Explicit Smut/NSFW

Summary: Cahir suffers from insomnia. Milva has the perfect cure for him.

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Friends: The Witcher Netflix (Season 3), Whumpee: Cahir, Caretaker: Fringilla, Chapters: 11/11, Words: 29,782

Summary: Cahir is badly injured and missing after his fight with the Scoia'tael on Thanedd island. Fortunately he has a good friend in Fringilla.

Chapter 7: Prompts 15, 29, alt.12 (Suppressed Suffering; Troubled Past Resurfacing; Broken)

Chapter 8: Prompts 2, 18 (They don't care about you; Tortured for Information (aftereffects))

Chapter 9: Prompts 1, 4, 7, 13, 17, 26, alt.10, alt.11 (How many fingers am I holding up?; Swooning; Shock; Can you hear me?; I don't feel so good; Touch Aversion; Leave me alone; Seeing Double; Shaking; Panic)

Chapter 10: Prompts 15, 26, 29, 30, 31 (I'm fine; You look awful; What happened to me?; It's okay just to say 'I'm not okay'.; Take it easy)

Chapter 11: 1, 3, 7, 11, 21 (Swooning; Solitary confinement; Radio silence; "All the lights going dark and my hope's destroyed"; Captivity; Restraints; Don't move)

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I wish I'd done things different: Prompts no. 6, 8, 9, 14, 18, 21, 30, 31, alt.10, alt.11 ("It's all for nothing."; "You're a liar"; Blindfold; "See the chains around my feet."; "Not much longer ..."; Emptiness; Made to Watch; "Feed me poison, fill me 'till I drown"; Restraints; Shaking; Panic)

The Witcher, Whumpees: Cahir, Fringilla, Chapters: 3/3, Words: 3,416

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Not Yet (Monster Friend Part 2), Chapter 2: Prompts 19, 20, 22, 27, Alt.7 (I'm not as stupid as you think I am; Blanket/Found Family; Glass Shards; Let me see; Examination)

The Witcher, Whumpee: Cahir, Caretaker: Regis, Chapters: 2/2, Words: 3,693

Summary: Returning from an unfortunate adventure with a certain doppler, Cahir runs into Regis on the doorsteps to Kaer Morhen just before the rain starts pouring down. Nice to be back home and finally get to see the Kaer Morhen hot springs, too.

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I will bring you ruin: Prompts 4, 5, 7, 14, 16, 22, 24, 25, 28, 30 (You in there?; Debris; Pinned Down; It's broken; Can you hear me?; Just hold on; Don't go where I can't follow; Watch out; Goodbye note; Buried alive; "They're not breathing!"; Sacrifice; Bridal Carry)

The Witcher, Whumpees: Cahir, Ciri; Caretakers: Vesemir, Regis, Geralt, Jaskier, Yennefer; Chapters: 1/2 Words: 3,343

Summary: At Kaer Morhen, Cahir tells Ciri something that makes her scream ...

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Shadows in the Dark: Prompts 2, 5, 8, 9, 13, 15, 22, 23, 26, 27, 29, 31, alt. 10 (Delirium; Pinned Down; Outnumbered; Mistaken Identity; Cold Compress / Infection / "I don't feel so good."; Makeshift Bandages; "Watch Out!"; "It's gonna get me by the end of the night." / Shadows / Stalking; Working to Exhaustion; Scars / "Let me see"; Troubled Past Resurfacing; Setbacks; Shaking)

The Witcher, Whumpee: You/Reader, Cahir, Caretaker: Cahir, You/Reader, Chapters: 5/5, Words: 10,410

Summary: You made a stupid bet. Fortunately somebody arrives just in time to safe your arse. A Witcher, exactly who you need.

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Who'll save you when you fall?

Chapter 2: Prompts 8, 9, 24 ("It's all for nothing."; Learning everything ain't what it seems, that's the thing about these days; Neglect)

Chapter 3: Prompts 8, 17, 21, 27, 30 ("I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier."; Collar; Vows / "Don't move"; "Let me see."; Borrowed Clothing)

The Witcher, Whumpee: Cahir, Caretaker: Emhyr var Emreis Chapters: 3/3, Words: 6,625

Summary: It is the reign of the Usurper and today justice is to be served. A hanging. Only, things do not go as smoothly as they are supposed to go. Or: This is my story of how Emhyr saves Cahir.

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A Lesson in Cruelty: Prompts 6, 12 (Made to Watch; Red)

The Witcher Netflix, Whumpee: Young Cahir, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 500

Summary: During his fight against the Usurper, Emhyr var Emreis takes the castle of one of the Usurper's trusted minions. All the count's men die during the fierce battle, but what to do with the women and children?

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Stranded: Prompts 10, 14, 25, 30 (Stranded; Water Inhalation; "You're not delivering a perfect body to the grave." / "They're not breathing!"; Bridal Carry)

The Witcher Netflix/The Witcher Novels, Whumpee: Angoulême, Caretakers: Regis, Geralt, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 1,630

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The Scream: Prompt 18 (Blindfold / Tortured for Information)

Fanart, The Witcher Netflix (Season 2), Whumpee: Cahir

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Those were written after October and don't count but as we can use the prompts also after the event, I'll add them here anyway in case you'd like to check them out:

Scary is the night (and full of honey cakes and kittens): Prompt 29 Troubled Past Resurfacing

The Witcher Netflix, Whumpee: Cahir, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 1,111

Summary: "Kiss me!" she orders, her emerald green eyes gleaming with lust. However, it is not lust of the kind you would expect when you are told to kiss the girl - no, the princess. It is blood-lust her eyes are shimmering with ...

Unwanted Want: Prompts: 28 Bloody knife, 29 Troubled Past Resurfacing.

The Witcher Netflix, Whumpee: Cahir, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 500

Summary: "We shouldn't be doing this, I— I murdered you!" Cahir stammers, the icy coldness of Gallatin's fingers on his shaft sending shivers up and down his spine ...

[phoenixtakaramono]

So, as you know, TNotG will have 135 chapters spanning 6 arcs + the return to Billy’s OG world in the prologue (because, it has to be seven, y’get the reference?). Think of it as 6 Butchlander AUs that tie together in a bigger overarching narrative. I do have some logic regarding the order of these arcs (aka why it’s these worlds and why it has to be in this specific order of arcs). Mostly the reason is because I love reading certain genres in my free time so writing a QT presents this writer the opportunity to try out a couple of them, to experiment. Also with The Boys being an unfinished TV series as of 2023 with S4 projected to air in maybe 2024, my logic was: I have to make it a series of AUs, otherwise I’ll feel discouraged after seeing what’ll probably be canonized in S4, S5–? Basically I’m thinking of ways to keep my motivation alive to keep writing this 135ch QT. By then, I will have enough time to have seen the direction the TV has gone in for S4 and maybe S5, so I can make a decision then of how to ��fix it” for the penultimate arc.

The reason why we’re starting off in the medieval fantasy genre first for Task World 1 for The Name of the Game:

The smart answer: it’s the genre I’m known for in my AO3 portfolio (pseudohistorical romance, really, if we truly condense everything I’ve written down)—so why not start off strong with what I know? I can confidently riff off the Western medieval fantasy tropes that we see in Game of Thrones, Dragon Age: Inquisition, the Witcher, etc to make a subtly fun and meta deconstruction of the tropes we’d expect from Western fairytales and fantasies. I want to satirize the whole knight in shining armor coming to save the kidnapped princess from the evil dragon trope—and I can make it fit Homelander and Billy.

And a bit of a truth potion: the small lizard hindbrain part of me wants to see the knight version of Homelander getting stuffed on Billy’s two dragon d*cks 🫣 and growing obsessed with his mount *snicker* to the point of overthrowing the kingdom he once loyally served in a dramatic twist of irony.

The reason why I decided to make arc 2 a dystopian horror/ survival game:

The smart answer: The previous genre is medieval fantasy—so I wanted something from the left field to take Billy by surprise. The Task World difficulty level is suppose to ramp up, so Arc 1 is the easiest for Billy because he gets to LARP as a motherf*cking dragon and Arc 2 is also easy because Billy excels at high intense stressful situations i.e. survival horror death matches. So it’s still difficult—but I get to throw him into a new environment with very familiar faces but the circumstances are now different (a different alternate reality) so it’s a different challenge awaiting him. I can show off Billy’s badassness and smarts in a different situation—and have the John of this new universe react to him.

Truth potion: Infinite Flow/ Unlimited Flow is one of my favorite C-novel genres. The Earth is Online is one of my all-time favorites, as well as I Became a God in a Horror Game, Kaleidoscope of Death, Global Examination, Supernatural Movie Actor App, Thriller Trainee, Welcome to the Nightmare Live, etc. I eat these easily 100+ to 300+ chaptered novels for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We’re combining what I love with dystopian horror because I wanna playfully poke fun of the popular Western (YA usually) dystopian survival horror tropes (think Cabin in the Woods, Hunger Games, V for Vendetta, Animal Farm, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, Saw, Squid Game) and combine that by making it a death game. There’s so much crazy sh*t we can play with—and it’d still be relatively in character for The Boys characters. I’m mostly looking forward to male model John being one of the unlucky participants either a rookie or one of the fellow popular death game streamers whom undercover MI6 Billy teams up with to solve the puzzles and the narrative twist that’ll be in this arc.

*Note: by the way, this fic does not exist yet on AO3. Wait till August (hopefully!) for the prologue’s premier!

[madame-helen]

[junebuge]

✨Fantasy Vibes✨

[hanzajesthanza]

I love your blog and recently watched your amazing YouTube essay! In a nutshell it blew my mind. Having the historical context of 2th century Polish history leading up the the publication of this work, in addition to your detailed analysis of Orwellian and Huxlian societies has helped me gain a whole new level of understanding and appreciation for The Witcher.

I read the books years ago and am beginning a re-read. Being someone who didn't receive the most thorough education on reading media critically or analytically as a younger person, and now trying to redress this fact about myself as I read works like this going forward as I approach middle age (I'm a bit of a "late bloomer" in several aspects of my life including building this skill set), I unfortunately missed a lot of allegory and subtext in my first reading. I enjoyed it mostly fannishly and getting into the characters at that time in my life. Your analysis has been really helpful on this journey of getting back into the books.

My question for you is that I've seen a few random references online to people theorizing that the Dopplers are an allegory for the LGBTQIA+ community. However, I've not been able to find any detailed analysis of this possible allegory and only finding people mentioning it in passing on forums and such.

As a reader who is also part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I would love if Sapkowski had intentionally injected allegory and commentary on queerness and the othering of our community in his work, but I'm reluctant to get excited about something that might not actually be there.

Of course I know a lot of these things are up to the interpretation of individual readers. But I'm also extremely curious to know what you think. Are you of the opinion that there is any queer subtext or allegory in the Witcher saga?

Thank you for your time if you get a chance to answer my ask! And thank you as well for your beautiful work on this series so far, I'm really looking forward to more!

thanks! and honestly, though i'm younger i also have a mixed relationship with reading and media literacy. so you're certainly not alone, also related to witcher/all things fantasy and pop culture, i think it's normal to engage with it for only the characters and story, especially on the first read.

as for LGBT subtext in the witcher...

the first thing to acknowledge is that LGBT subtext is preceded by actual LGBT text in the witcher. we already have some lesbian, gay, bisexual characters and relationships, and at least one trans or gender non-conforming, androgynous character.

the second thing to acknowledge is that this text isn't particularly meant to empower or represent, either in a positive or negative light. it's less about actually being LGBT, and more about how LGBT identities have been represented in the genre.

usually, it goes along with the regular practice of the witcher, its "guiding principle" as i might call it, being to subvert reader expectations, parody, or satirize elements and popular tropes of the fantasy genre. so, for example, mistle rapes ciri not because sapkowski wanted to depict lesbianism as predatory -- he wrote it because he was familiar with the trope of female heroines in fantasy being ahem, "claimed" by male warriors, and wanted to subvert this trope by having a woman do it instead.

so, we get a lesbian relationship, that, like the M/F relationships he was referencing, begins with a rape and turns into a romance by the end of it. this isn't to say that this is a logical sequence of events, but just that it was inspired by other texts -- it was never intended as commentary on lesbianism itself, but instead, of some fantasy texts that sapkowski had criticism of.

speaking of the author's perspective... i'm certain that if he was asked about any of this he would say he doesn't have any opinion, but this is just what i'm collecting from reading him... i'll go from best to worst.

(ŚKA = Świat króla artura, HiF = Historia i fantastyka, RZwSJ = Rekopis znaleziony w Smoczej Jaskini)

the good: his opinions on same-sex female relationships are... neutral to somewhat... positive? he seems to correlate lesbianism with feminism (aka political lesbianism). though he's denied identifying with feminists and feminism, saying that he does not intend to appeal to feminists or read feminist publications, in ŚKA and HiF he starts explaining unprompted ideas about the prehistory of matriarchy, associations of magna mater, and the relationship of wicca... and in RZwSJ includes an entire paragraph with recommendations of fantasy featuring lesbian relationships.

so i think any opinions he has about lesbianism are entirely conflated with his ideas of female power and worship, and/or as previously mentioned, challenging fantasy tropes - both are huge themes across all of his writing. which... i guess is a good thing?

however, i think that this interpretation of lesbianism through the lens of politics can be problematic because he fails to understand that a lot of lesbians like other women for kind of the same reasons straight men like them: because they are fucking hot. (but i guess he did acknowledge this a little with philippa and her countess, so whatever)

i'll also allow myself a small tangent about neratin ceka here, because i feel like his representation was not bad at all, and yet he's entirely missed whenever these discussions about sapkowski's views on LGBT happen, probably because no one read as far as past chapter 2 of tower of the swallow.

we even get the joke cliche of "i'm a bad guy, but i'm not a bad guy" with stefan skellen, who fantasizes about banditry and rape, and wants to kill ciri out of reasons of state, but, when he's told that ceka's gender doesn't really matter unless he wants to marry him, its his being a good soldier which counts, skellen's like, "yeah, ok, that makes sense to me, you're right." so the story doesn't make a joke about him at all, only for a moment raising the "what's his gender??" question in the mouth of a villain -- other than that, neratin ceka is treated by the story just the same as all the others of skellen's hanza (well, except for the fact that he was an imperial spy... but see, he was given an interesting role in the story).

anyways, here's the bad: LGBT characters being the butt of a joke, and not even "characters" but the concept of, for example, the only representation of fat GNC women being antagonistic, stupid, and gross (season of storms, the guardswomen of kerack), or homosexual quid quo pro committed by the guy who is so fucked up evil he will do anything to get political influence, including gay sex (season of storms, sorel degerlund) or attempted homosexual rape (narrenturm, the werewolf), or... homosexual sex slavery (lux perpetua, szarlej trying to "buy" reynevan).

it's... cringeworthy. though i will say the last one i mentioned here read like a monty python sketch rather than punching down, it is more making fun of the discomfort of the slavers themselves at the idea of homosexual desire and sex (which is ironic, because... they are slavers).

with an overview here, i feel like in terms of same-sex male relationships, more often than consensual relationships are jokes about rape, situations like pederasty, actual rape but this time treated as a serious threat (it was either in warriors of god or lux perpetua, one of the times in which reynevan was kidnapped). ... i don't know if i can name one positive, romantic gay relationship from any of his writing (whereas i might be able to name a couple of lesbian ones)

at the same time, he's never said that being gay is wrong, immoral, or espoused fears of gay people taking over, which... is notable as we look amongst his contemporaries in the polish SF/fantasy space of the 80s-90s. (that, and that he's so staunchly pro-choice). but that also doesn't make him some champion of LGBT rights, lmao.

when it comes to the subject, i think he is mostly just a contrarian who seeks to challenge conservative sensibilities and what is considered socially acceptable... so this sometimes results in accidental representation, and sometimes it results in offensive situations or "jokes". i don't believe he has an agenda either way for LGBT rights or condemnation, he generally is against oppression of any sort, but he doesn't put himself on the frontlines of advocacy. and at the same time carries his own biases of LGBT topics, some of which i don't agree with. (ik you didn't ask for this whole review, anon, but i wanted to include it to clarify the topic).

so, finally, about eternal flame.

i wrote this out years ago (with more of a gerlion spin to it, and i kind of roll my eyes at it now) but the basis of the dopplers as an lgbt allegory analysis is that:

dopplers are entirely innocent beings which are persecuted for no reason other than they're different, so they change shape amongst society to remain undetected --

and they've done this successfully, so much so that at the end of the story we realize that more people than one might have assumed, including chappelle, the head of the church of the eternal flame (coughs, catholic church, coughs) who was persecuting the protagonists for relation to a scandal involving a doppler, is in fact a doppler himself who took the persona after the real chappelle died two weeks ago.

so... i think that if one chooses to see it, they can -- though i probably wouldn't argue that this is a certain meaning, it's only one possible interpretation.

and again, it's not like positive representation, hah, i think one can draw their own conclusions from that short summary (especially the part about high-ranking priests being gay... hmmm...), but the fact that the dopplers are innocent and being persecuted and tortured for no reason, and we hear tellico's side of this at the end of the story putting them in a sympathetic light, and the entire moral of the story being acceptance of the other (with tellico even being adopted as dainty's cousin, lmao) i find it palatable because of that.

sapkowski has also denied that he includes any allegories in his writing, but because this doesn't make sense when looking at the first/second nilfgaardian war, i think to interpret this more as there is no specific representations of people or historical figures in his writing (the quote went something like "please do not look for the alter-egos of stalin or bierut amongst my characters...") rather than allegories to real life events or social realities, because those he certainly does include.

[chulltvvideos]

Top Ten Action Web Series to Watch - Explore Now

Action web series have taken the streaming world by storm, delivering adrenaline-pumping thrills, jaw-dropping stunts, and gripping storylines that keep viewers glued to their screens. Whether you're a fan of epic fantasy battles, gritty crime dramas, or sci-fi adventures, there's something for every action enthusiast. Here’s a curated list of the top ten action web series you should dive into right now, packed with excitement and perfect for your next binge-watching session.

1. The Boys

This dark, satirical superhero series flips the genre on its head. Based on the comic by Garth Ennis, The Boys follows a group of vigilantes taking down corrupt superheroes who abuse their powers. With intense action sequences, sharp humor, and thought-provoking themes about power and responsibility, it’s a must-watch for fans of edgy, adult-oriented action. Stream it on Amazon Prime for a wild ride.

2. Reacher

Jack Reacher, the iconic drifter with a knack for trouble, comes to life in this Amazon Prime series. Starring Alan Ritchson, Reacher delivers hard-hitting action, clever investigations, and a no-nonsense hero. Each season follows Reacher as he unravels conspiracies with fists and wits, making it a perfect blend of muscle and mystery. It’s a fan favorite for pure action thrills.

3. The Witcher

Set in a richly detailed fantasy world, The Witcher follows Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter with supernatural abilities. Packed with epic sword fights, magical battles, and political intrigue, this Netflix series adapts the popular books and video games into a visually stunning spectacle. Henry Cavill’s gritty performance anchors the action, making it a must for fantasy fans.

4. Game of Thrones

An epic fantasy saga, Game of Thrones redefined action on television with its massive battles, shocking twists, and complex characters. Set in the fictional Westeros, the series follows noble families fighting for the Iron Throne while an ancient threat looms. Its iconic action sequences, like the Battle of the Bastards, make it a timeless binge on HBO Max.

5. Narcos

This Netflix series chronicles the rise and fall of drug cartels, starting with Pablo Escobar’s empire in Colombia. Narcos blends real history with intense action, featuring high-stakes raids, shootouts, and gritty drama. The stellar performances and authentic storytelling make it a gripping watch for crime and action enthusiasts alike.

6. Breaking Bad

A masterclass in storytelling, Breaking Bad follows a chemistry teacher turned meth kingpin. While known for its drama, the series packs plenty of action with tense heists, explosive confrontations, and nail-biting chases. Available on Netflix, this critically acclaimed show is a must-watch for its blend of crime, action, and character depth.

7. Daredevil: Born Again

Revived on Disney+, Daredevil: Born Again brings back Charlie Cox as the blind vigilante of Hell’s Kitchen. Known for its stunning fight choreography, especially the iconic hallway scenes, this Marvel series delivers brutal action and emotional stakes. It’s a perfect pick for superhero fans craving grounded, intense combat.

8. Vikings

Dive into the brutal world of Norse warriors with Vikings on Netflix. Following Ragnar Lothbrok’s legendary raids, the series offers visceral battle scenes, rich historical drama, and compelling characters. Its mix of sword-clashing action and exploration of Viking culture makes it a standout for fans of historical epics.

9. Wu Assassins

For martial arts fans, Wu Assassins on Netflix is a hidden gem. Starring Iko Uwais (The Raid), the series follows a San Francisco chef who gains mystical powers to battle crime lords. With jaw-dropping fight choreography and supernatural flair, it’s a fast-paced action fest that delivers thrills in every episode.

10. SEAL Team

This Paramount+ series follows an elite Navy SEAL unit on high-stakes missions worldwide. SEAL Team balances intense combat sequences with personal drama, showcasing the toll of war on its soldiers. With realistic action and strong performances, it’s a gripping watch for fans of military dramas.

Why These Series Stand Out

These action web series shine due to their compelling characters, innovative storytelling, and high-energy sequences. From the satirical edge of The Boys to the historical grit of Vikings, each offers a unique flavor of action. Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ make it easy to access these gems, ensuring endless entertainment.

Read more: Top 6 OTT Platforms for Hottest Web Series | Top 30 Apps like Chull App for Android

Get Watching Now!

Ready for non-stop excitement? Grab your snacks, settle in, and start streaming these top ten action web series. Whether you’re craving superhero showdowns, historical battles, or crime-fueled chaos, this list has you covered. Explore now and let the action begin!

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┈┈┈ ﹕ NYX .ᐟ or ARSON 🪓 31 ☆ Married (10.12.23) ⌢➷ ~"Queer" as in "Fuck You"~

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┈┈┈ ﹕ FANDOMS .ᐟ i write 🪚 Chainsaw Man ↺ Jujutsu Kaisen ✸ Hazbin Hotel The Amazing Digital Circus ☆ Bluey ⌢➷ Pokemon Genshin Impact ↺ The Witcher ✸ Baldur's Gate HTTYD ⌢➷ Studio Ghibli ☆ Learning w/ Pibby Sofia the First ↺ Helluva Boss ✸ Paw Patrol .ᐟ

Fic recs under the cut ✦

This blog is satire sorry if it shows up in your notes

[alitcis]

Which TV Shows Got the Axe and Which Ones Are Coming Back in 2025?

TV show lovers, it’s that time again—when networks decide who stays and who goes. With every new season comes the inevitable list of canceled and renewed TV shows, and 2025 is no exception. It’s like watching a game of musical chairs, but with our favorite characters and storylines. You may already be anxiously scrolling through the list of renewals and cancellations to see if your beloved show is coming back or getting axed. Fear not! In this article, we’ve compiled all the biggest TV show announcements for 2025. From fan favorites returning for another season to the unfortunate departures that have us grabbing our tissues, we’ve got it all. Ready to find out the fate of your favorite series? Let’s get started! What’s the Deal with TV Show Renewals and Cancellations? Before diving into the list, let’s briefly talk about why networks renew or cancel shows. In a nutshell, it’s all about ratings, budgets, and audience engagement. Shows with solid ratings and loyal fanbases are often renewed for multiple seasons, while those that don’t meet expectations or struggle with viewership can get cut—no matter how much we love them. It’s like the TV industry’s version of a reality check: some shows are meant to live on, while others are given a one-season pass and then sent packing. The Biggest TV Show Renewals of 2025 Ready to cheer for your favorite shows? Here's the good news—plenty of fan-favorites are coming back in 2025. Whether it's for another thrilling season, a long-awaited return, or a spin-off series, here’s a look at the top renewals this year: 1. Stranger Things – Season 5 It wouldn’t be a proper list of renewals without Stranger Things. Netflix has confirmed that season 5 will finally arrive in 2025. After years of waiting, the beloved crew from Hawkins, Indiana, is back, and fans are thrilled to see what’s next for Eleven, Mike, and the rest of the gang. Why are we so excited? Well, the Duffer Brothers have hinted that the final season will bring closure to some of the show’s longest-running mysteries, including the fate of the Upside Down and our favorite characters. 2. The Mandalorian – Season 4 Disney+ continues to make waves in the streaming world, and The Mandalorian is one of its flagship series. The show has been renewed for season 4 in 2025, and fans are eager to see where the story goes next after that shocking season 3 finale. With Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) in tow, Din Djarin’s journey through the galaxy is far from over. Expect more epic battles, heartwarming moments, and of course, more Mandalorian culture! 3. The Witcher – Season 4 After a massive success with seasons 1 and 2, The Witcher is gearing up for season 4 on Netflix in 2025. Based on the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, this dark fantasy saga will continue to captivate viewers with its mix of magic, monsters, and moral dilemmas. Fans can expect new faces to join the cast as well, adding a fresh dynamic to the already complex world of Geralt of Rivia. 4. Ted Lasso – Season 4 Fans of Ted Lasso can breathe easy—season 4 is officially happening! Apple TV+ announced that the beloved soccer coach will return in 2025. Ted’s upbeat attitude and heartwarming relationships have made this show a standout, and season 4 promises to dive even deeper into the lives of its quirky characters. Prepare for more laughter, tears, and life lessons. 5. The Boys – Season 5 Amazon Prime’s hit The Boys will be back for another season in 2025, and we couldn’t be more excited. The dark, satirical take on superheroes has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. With season 4 leaving us with so many questions, season 5 is expected to raise the stakes even higher. The Heartbreaking TV Show Cancellations of 2025 Now for the bad news—sometimes, shows just don’t make the cut. In 2025, some fan-favorite TV shows won’t be returning for another season, leaving us all a bit heartbroken. If you’re wondering if your favorite show is on the chopping block, here’s the list of cancellations that have already been confirmed: 1. Warrior Nun – Canceled After Season 2 Warrior Nun, a supernatural action series, gained a cult following after its first season, but unfortunately, Netflix decided to cancel it after season 2. Fans have been vocal about their disappointment, hoping for a third season, but it looks like the show’s fate has been sealed. 2. Locke & Key – Canceled After Season 3 Netflix’s Locke & Key was a fan favorite from the moment it premiered, but despite its success, the show won’t be returning for another season. After the events of season 3, the story concluded, and the series was officially canceled. It’s tough to say goodbye to the Locke family, but the adventure has come to an end. 3. FBI: Most Wanted – Canceled After Season 6 CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted had a solid run, but the network decided to pull the plug after season 6. Fans of the crime drama will miss the thrilling cases and the characters we’ve come to know and love. The cancellation marks the end of an era for the FBI franchise. 4. The Resident – Canceled After Season 7 Medical dramas have a special place in our hearts, but unfortunately, The Resident is one that won’t be coming back after season 7. The show had a loyal following, but its cancellation left viewers in shock. The decision to wrap up the series was a difficult one, but it appears the medical world of Chastain Park Memorial Hospital has reached its final diagnosis. 5. Superstore – Canceled After Season 7 Superstore was a beloved workplace comedy, but NBC decided to end the series after its seventh season. While it had its fair share of hilarious moments, the storylines were coming to a natural conclusion. Fans will forever miss the quirky Cloud 9 team, but the show’s finale left us with a sense of closure. Why Do TV Shows Get Canceled? It’s always a tough pill to swallow when a favorite show gets canceled, but there are several reasons why it happens. Typically, shows are canceled when: - Ratings decline: If a show’s viewership decreases over time, networks might decide it’s not worth continuing. - Rising production costs: Some shows get too expensive to produce, especially if they involve a lot of special effects, high-profile actors, or large sets. - Story arc completion: Sometimes, shows just run out of material. A show might be canceled after a natural story arc conclusion, even if it’s still loved by fans. - Network strategy: Networks might shift focus to new, fresher shows that align with current trends or audience demand. Conclusion: The Ever-Changing TV Landscape in 2025 As 2025 rolls on, the TV landscape continues to evolve with new stories, characters, and plot twists. Some of our favorites are returning for another round, while others are making their exit. Whether you’re celebrating a renewal or mourning a cancellation, there’s no doubt that the world of television keeps us hooked, season after season. What do you think about the TV shows canceled and renewed this year? Did your favorite make the cut? Let us know in the comments below! And if you found this list helpful, don’t forget to share it with fellow TV lovers. The more, the merrier! Read the full article